


Such Good Face

by Wonderlandleighleigh



Category: Queer Eye - Fandom, X-Men (Comicverse)
Genre: Canon Divergence, Feels, Gen, don't look at me, someone help Doug please
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-29
Updated: 2018-08-29
Packaged: 2019-07-04 06:30:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15835680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wonderlandleighleigh/pseuds/Wonderlandleighleigh
Summary: Doug Ramsey is back from the dead and he's...well he's...he needs some help. Kitty Pryde (and a very special friend) to the rescue!





	Such Good Face

“Look, I’m not saying your current style isn’t fine, it’s just…” 

“What?” 

“Well...terrible.” 

Doug Ramsey frowns deeply as he looks down at himself. Baggy pants, baggy shirt, raggedy beard. 

Okay, so he’s looked better. 

But in his defense, he didn’t live to full adulthood the last time, so this...this body, this grown-up, adulty body is…

It’s a lot.

His best friend is staring at him like she’s just in a constant state of cringing, and really, that what he likes about Kitty Pryde. 

She’s not exactly a nice person.

“Okay,” Doug says. “Alright. But uh...how do I fix it?” 

Her cringe-face turns into a knowing grin, and he braces himself. 

It’s about to be a long day. 

***** 

“Take those off.” 

“But-” 

“No.” 

“I like them. They’re comfortable.” 

“They’re hammer pants, Douglas. No.” 

He sighs heavily and slinks back to the department store dressing room.

***** 

Doug takes a deep breath and looks at himself in the mirror. 

The jeans are black and skinny, which is fine. They’re snug, but not too snug, and his henley shirt is a dark blue with the sleeves rolled up. It fits him well, and he looks...he looks pretty good. 

Kitty peeks in and grins. “Hey! Lookin good, stud-muffin.” 

“Never call me that again.” 

“You ready for phase two?” 

Doug frowns and looks back at her. “There are phases? I thought we were just getting some clothes.” 

“In your dreams, Grizzly Adams.” 

“Hey.” 

“You need a shave.” 

“I can shave.” 

“Have you ever shaved before? Ever?” 

Doug opens his mouth.

Doug closes his mouth.

“Uh-huh. You’ve just been letting it grow out since you got back.” 

“I mean... “ Doug shrugs. “It’s not...it’s not so bad. It’s distinguished.” 

“It’s scraggly and gross,” Kitty corrects him. “C’mon, I’ve already paid for everything so you can wear those out of the store.” 

“How are we paying for all this?” 

“Tony Stark says you’re welcome.” 

Doug looks deeply confused. “Stark? Why is he doing this?” 

“Because he eventually wants to swoop in and hire you,” Kitty says casually. “Get your shoes on, I’ll be outside with the rest of the bags.” 

***** 

“Kitty Cat!” 

He’s a tall man, with impeccably groomed facial hair and long, flowing brown locks, and it’s clear that he owns the salon they’ve stepped into in downtown Manhattan.

Kitty hugs the man and beams. “Hi! I’ve brought you a fresh victim.” 

The man looks past her at Doug, and gasps. “Ooh my god. I bet underneath all that beard there is such a good face.” 

“There definitely is,” Kitty nods. “But Doug needs help. He’s kind of just back from the dead and since he died when he was pretty young, he never learned to shave.” 

“Oh no, you poor baby, you know nothing, you sweet undead unicorn!” 

Doug frowns. “Uh. Hi. I’m Doug.” 

“I’m Jonathan,” the man beams, as they shake hands. “So nice to meet you. Please, please have a seat, we’ll get started right away.” 

***** 

Kitty takes a walk, and Doug settles into one of the salon chairs, looking in the mirror at himself. 

He knows it’s not great. The clothes help, sure, but his face is drawn into an almost permanent frown, and his hair and beard are…

Well it looks bad. 

“Things have been rough, huh?” 

Doug looks up at the other man, whose smile is kind and sympathetic. “Uh...well...y’know. I just...I guess I wasn’t really expecting to come back. And I don’t know why I’m back.” 

“It’s understandable that you would be having a hard time,” Jonathan nods, settling a smock over Doug’s front and fastening it at the neck. “Do your parents know your back? Your family?” 

“...No,” Doug says. “No, I...it just seems...like it’d be too much for them to handle.It’s been so long. How do I even start that conversation?” 

“Sure it would be complicated, but you have to miss them,” Jonathan points out as he starts to cut his hair. “We’re gonna go short on the sides, and a little longer on the top, okay? It’ll frame your face a little, clean you up, but it won’t be too severe.” 

“Sure.”

“I guess hairstyle seems pretty secondary to the whole coming back to life thing.” 

“Pretty much.” 

Jonathan smiles. “Well, it may not seem like a big deal in the grand scheme of like...mutants and gods and the universe, but it’s important to take care of yourself, for yourself. Looking good and feeling good are connected. If you feel good about yourself, you’ll be better equipped to handle all that crazy boss-level hullabaloo, you know?” 

Doug says nothing, unable to look at himself in the mirror, or up at Jonathan.

“Oh, Honey,” Jonathan says quietly. “You don’t think you deserve to be back, do you? Is that what all this is?” 

Doug still doesn’t answer. 

“That’s okay, you don’t have to talk,” Jonathan tells him gently. “You just relax. I’ll take care of the rest.” 

***** 

When Jonathan finishes, Doug has short, stylish hair, and some fashionable stubble. 

“What do you think?” 

Doug takes a deep breath, and nods, trying not to get choked up. “Yep. That’s my face.” 

Jonathan pats his shoulder gently. “Can I say something?” 

Doug looks up at him worriedly. 

The other man smiles. “It doesn’t matter how you came back, and in the end, I don’t know if it matters so much whether you should have come back or not. You’re here. From everything Kitty’s told me you are smart, and funny, and a great guy, and on top of that, boy you are fine as hell. This is a second chance. Grab it by the horns, honey. Don’t let it pass you by.” 

Doug laughs, but also cries a little, and Jonathan hugs him gently.  
***** 

Kitty steps back in a while later to find Jonathan loading Doug’s arms with grooming supplies, and she stops when she sees her friend, freshly groomed. 

“Hey! Your face is back!” 

“Yep,” Doug grins. “Turns out it was there all along.” 

Kitty smiles back and steps over. “Good. I like your face. What’s all this?” 

“Jonathan recommended a bunch of stuff for my face and hair, and since Stark is picking up the tab, I figured we’d do our best to give him a coronary. Also I wanna look pretty.” 

“Yes, kween, get it,” Jonathan quips jovially. “You are gonna feel so good, Doug, I swear. And don’t hesitate to stop back in if you need a trim or some more advice, okay?” 

Doug nods. 

“Hey, go wait for me in the car, we’ll go get some lunch after this,” Kitty tells Doug, and watches as he nods and turns to Jonathan, giving him an awkward hug. 

“Thanks.” 

“Seriously, feel free to walk that beautiful face back in here any time,” Jonathan tells him. “It was so good meeting you.” 

Doug nods again, and then slips out, and Kitty takes a breath. 

“So?” 

“He’s definitely having a hard time,” Jonathan says. “But he’ll get there. This was a great first step.” 

“I owe you big time.” 

“Girl, just keep bringing me the pretty ones.”

END

**Author's Note:**

> This is for Icon_UK, and also this is all his fault.


End file.
